Everyday Implied and Boldly Declared
by MoaningMomoMormon
Summary: Just how I picture the Proposal between the Colonel and Marianne


**A/N So, I was watching Sense and Sensibility last night, and notice a serious lack of proposing from Colonel Brandon, so I wrote one. Now I've never read the book so don't be mad at me if I get any of those facts wrong. So I hope you enjoy this.**

**Disclaimer: No, trust me if I owned Sense and Sensibility Colonel Brandon would have ended up with me.**

Everyday Implied and Boldly Declared

Miss Marianne was sitting at the beautiful pianoforte that had been a gift from Colonel Brandon. She wasn't playing it, just admiring the beauty of it and musing over her sister Elinor's engagement to the wonderful Edward. A smile for her sisters happiness was still on her lips when she heard hoof-beats approach the house. Looking out the window her eyes fell upon the Colonel. Her smile widened at the sight of him. A few moments later the maid came in announcing his arrive and she was soon followed by Brandon himself.

"Good morning Colonel, lovely day isn't it?" She beamed. The Colonel seemed more on edge than usual when he responded,

"Yes... it is... Miss Marianne, I was, in fact, wondering if you might accompany me on a walk."

"I'd love to." He held out his arm and she took it. As their distance from the cottage grew Marianne turned to the man beside her full smile.

"Did you hear about Elinor and Edward? They're engaged!" Colonel Brandon managed a weak smile in response. Marianne, completely blind to the Colonels distress continued, "I am so glad that it all worked out, Elinor really was quite distressed when we heard he'd been married. And all that time it turned out to be his brother Robert!" Marianne smiled once again at the Colonel and for the first time noticed something was off.

"Colonel, you look pale, are you ill?" She asked, stopping their walk and turning to face him.

"Y-yes I'm quite well, thank you." He assured her, although his eyes said otherwise.

"Colonel, if you think I don't know you well enough by now, to know when something is amiss- tell me, what is bothering you?"

"Well, there was something I wanted to tell you." Brandon all but mumbled.

"Then do so, you can tell me, whatever it is." She smiled at him once again. She didn't know what it was, but there was something about his presence that anything less than a smile on her face impossible.

"Marianne," He paused, just long enough for Marianne to notice he hadn't used the customary "Miss", "I feel I must be honest with you, I came here today to tell you that," He paused again as if bracing himself. Marianne held her breath, "I love you." The words left his mouth and Colonel Brandon looked hesitantly at Marianne, unsure how she would respond. And too his utter terror, tears flooded from her eyes.

"Marianne, are you alright? Is it something I've done?" He asked, bracing himself for all the hurt in the world.

"N-no, it's just, he never said it. For all the time that Mr. Willoughby spent together, he never spoke those words. Those words that I have been dreaming to hear since childhood." She started to sob harder.

"Marianne, if I may be so bold to say. Mr. Willoughby isn't worth the dirt you walk on. If he spend all that time in your... mutual affection and walked away from it-" Colonel Brandon seemed paused scowling at the injustice of it, "If I were ever to find myself in that situation I could never-" He was cut off by Marianne who looked at him quizzically.

"But you are, Christopher," On a whim Marianne decided that if he could drop the "Miss" she could use his first name, "If you cannot see- If you did not know- If you didn't think that I loved you, why did you confess your love to me?"

"I felt you deserved to know, to have the... opportunity... to brake off our friendship, if that was your wish." He hung his head, then in a moment part of what Marianne said seemed to sink it.

"Do you mean to say, Marianne, that- that you return my feelings of affection?" His eyes where full of more hope than Marianne had ever seen.

"I mean to say, My Colonel, that if you were too ever leave my life, there would be no recovering. My reaction to Mr. Willoughby would look like a mild temper tantrum, compared to what I'd go through, if you ever left me." Marianne smiled at _her_ Colonel through her tears. He smiled back, a smile bigger than she'd ever seen on a man's face. He took her small, delicate hand in his and knelt down on one knee.

"Then, may I ask, Marianne Dashwood, would you do me the honor of being my wife?" He looked at her hopefully.

"Yes." Was all she could force out of her mouth, as tears streamed down her face during the happiest moment of her life. Colonel Brandon could hardly believe his ears. Never in his life had he ever dreamed that he could be so fortunate. Standing up, he swung Marianne around in a hug, laughing as he did so.

"Christopher, I have something I must tell you." Marianne said, she did love using his name.

"Yes?" He looked at her with all the tenderness in the world.

"I love you."

**A/N So, Please R&R, I'd like to know what you think.**


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